Washington’s Reproductive Privacy Act already codified Roe into state law in 1991 through a narrowly successful voter initiative, and amending the state constitution is a complex process that requires more legislative backing than a typical bill. Why go through the trouble in a state with robust existing protections for abortion?
The answer lies in the amendment process itself: Simply put, it’s much harder to pass a constitutional amendment than a law, and that also means it’s harder to undo.
In contrast, Washington’s Reproductive Privacy Act can be altered through a simple majority vote in the Legislature. Last session, it was altered with the passage of the Affirm Washington Abortion Access
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